How to Become a 911 Dispatcher in Maui, Hawaii

Becoming a 911 dispatcher in Maui takes determination, training, and a natural ability to remain calm in stressful situations. As an emergency services dispatcher you will connect those who are in dire situations with the appropriate first responders:

Police

Fire

Medical

Coast Guard

Civil Defense

Once you successfully navigate the hiring and training processes you will be ready to step into a new career field that includes public service and promotional opportunities.

Step 1. Satisfy Prerequisites and Consider a Relevant Degree

To become an emergency operator in Maui you need to have at least two years of related experience and/or education in fields that use dispatcher-related skills such as switchboard operation, telephone multitasking, clerical, or technical work.

As far as 911 dispatcher training goes, you are not required to have any experience in this field prior to employment, however obtaining related skills can give your candidacy added strength and will make you better informed about the training process, which includes:

With educational resources online, on Maui, and across the Hawaiian Islands you will find a number of schools that offer associate’s and bachelor’s degrees that can make your initial application more competitive:

Criminal Justice: These programs include coursework in criminology and emergency communications

Homeland Security: This curriculum provides instruction on assessing and responding to terrorist threats, and hazard planning

Psychology: An important part of being a 911 dispatcher is managing stress, a topic that is covered in depth in the Psychology major which also includes study of social cognition and decision making

Police Science: In this program you will learn the inner-workings of police operations and gain additional tools for law enforcement communications

Step 2. Apply with Maui County

The first step in applying for 911 dispatcher jobs in Maui is to create an online account with the county’s application program Candidate Self Service.

Once you have done this you can browse current vacancies with the county and apply directly through the announcement.

Check for the exact job title Emergency Services Dispatcher I, and if there are no openings at the present you can sign up to be notified by email and phone for any new administrative/clerical government job openings. You can also check at the Department of Personnel Services on the sixth floor of the Kalana O Maui Building located on 200 South High Street. You can also apply with a paper application when applications are being accepted.

Step 3. Additional Certification

The obvious next step after you are hired into an Emergency Services Dispatcher I position is to plan to move up to the ESD II level. You can be eligible for this move after you meet the right experience plus education and/or training requirements.

Fortunately there are several agencies that offer continuing 911 operator training in Maui, such as: